invert

[in-vurt, in-vurt]

verb (used with object)

1. to turn upside down.

2. to reverse in position, order, direction, or relationship.

3. to turn or change to the opposite or contrary, as in nature, bearing, or effect.

   to invert a process.

4. to turn inward or back upon itself.

5. to turn inside out.

6. Chemistry.,  to subject to a reaction in which a starting material of one optical configuration forms a product of the opposite configuration.

7. Music.,  to subject to musical inversion, the transposition between the upper voice part and the lower.

8. Phonetics.,  to articulate as a retroflex vowel.

verb (used without object)

1. Chemistry.,  to undergo a reaction in which a starting material of one optical configuration forms a product of the opposite configuration.

adjective

1. Chemistry.,  subjected to a reaction in which a starting material of one optical configuration forms a product of the opposite configuration.

noun

1. a person or thing that is reversed in position, changed to the contrary, or turned upside down, inside out, or inward.

2. (in plumbing) that portion of the interior of a drain or sewer pipe where the liquid is deepest.

3. a U-shaped arch or vault, having the opposite vertical orientation compared to a traditional arch or vault.

4. Philately.,  a two-colored postage stamp with all or part of the central design printed upside down in relation to the inscription.

5. Psychiatry.,  (no longer in technical use)

   1. a gay person.

   2. a person whose behavior is considered nonnormative for their assigned sex, historically involving both gender non-conforming or transgender expression and gay or lesbian sexual orientation.

6. Disparaging and Offensive.,  anyone whose sexuality or gender expression is regarded as strange or unnatural, especially a gay or transgender person.

7. Informal.,  (especially among aquarists) invertebrate.

   My invert tank is mostly sea slugs, but I bought a couple of shrimp recently also.

invert

verb

1. to turn or cause to turn upside down or inside out

2. (tr) to reverse in effect, sequence, direction, etc

3. (tr) phonetics

   1. to turn (the tip of the tongue) up and back

   2. to pronounce (a speech sound) by retroflexion

4. logic to form the inverse of a categorial proposition

noun

1. psychiatry

   1. a person who adopts the role of the opposite sex

   2. another word for homosexual

2. architect

   1. the lower inner surface of a drain, sewer, etc Compare soffit

   2. an arch that is concave upwards, esp one used in foundations

Other Word Forms

• invertible adjective
• invertibility noun
• noninverted adjective
• uninverted adjective

Word History and Origins

Origin of invert¹

First recorded in 1525–35; from Latin invertere “to turn upside down or inside out,” equivalent to in- “in” + vertere “to turn”; in- ², verse

Word History and Origins

Origin of invert¹

C16: from Latin invertere, from _in- ² + vertere to turn

Synonym Study

See reverse.

Example Sentences

Greenwood started at left-back as opposed to the centre-back role she has played in recent seasons for City, while England forward Lauren Hemp switched from the left-hand side to the right and was often inverted.

From BBC

We have truly stepped through the looking glass into an upside-down world and inverted reality.

From Salon

Most important of all, it inverts the liberal narrative of history, in which the misdeeds of the past offer us important lessons, mistakes to be confronted, repented and transcended on the path to something better.

From Salon

One episode inverts the tired old scenario in which white explorers are threatened with death by dark-skinned natives; here, the captors are Nordic warrior women.

From Los Angeles Times

He can cope physically and is a very versatile player who can operate in any position down the flank, or by playing as an inverted full-back.

From BBC